5 Time Management Tips for Small Businesses

The end of the year can be an overwhelming and stressful time. We’re all pushing ourselves through this last quarter to hit our goals, while also trying to maintain our motivation and morale. Rather than running yourself ragged, try to make better use of your time. We put together some time management tips to keep you focused at year-end, and are best used year-round. 

Know your goals. 

It’s best to know exactly what you need to accomplish each day, week, and month before starting any new projects or tasks. Begin each Monday with a game plan for the week, and know exactly what you need to do each day to make it happen. Knowing your goals and the necessary steps to accomplish them will ensure you’re not being aimless with your work or wasting time. 

Divide and conquer. 

You’re not in this alone! Delegate tasks amongst your team so you can get more done in a day, a week, and beyond. Proper teamwork can increase efficiency, accountability, productivity, and even morale. Giving each person a designated task or role will also 

Use the right tools. 

Using reputable and trusted resources will increase your task efficiency and cut the time you’re spending on it. If you aren’t using the right tools, tasks will take much longer and you’ll find yourself spending more time on completing fewer tasks. The right software and resources won’t make your job harder, but easier.

Track your time. 

The best way to improve your time management skills is to know exactly which tasks/clients are taking up the most of your time. Implement a time tracking software like QuickBooks Time so your team can log their time on projects throughout the day and you’ll have a better understanding of the most time-consuming tasks for your business. If a specific client or project is hogging your time and attention, set an hourly limit for each day/week that you will spend on this client. 

Focus on one thing at a time. 

Avoid multitasking. While it is a good skill to have, it can also increase distractions and decrease productivity if you aren’t good at it - and many of us aren’t. Instead, focus on completing one task at a time before moving onto the next. See everything through to completion. Obviously emergencies come up and priorities change, but until that happens, remain focused and steady through each project.